Separated
by EspoirDio
Summary: Niles has a girlfriend and moves with her to England. What'll happen when Niles and C.C. can only communicate via the phone or the Internet? Niles/C.C. of course!:
1. Partings

**Well, hi guys!:) So this story has been in my mind for quite some time...even before I started writing my series of oneshots...It was only a vague idea though...Now,however, I suddenly had a burst of creativity and planned the next few chapters. In this chapter, Niles has another girlfriend and moves with her to England...what will happen if Niles and C.C. can only communicate via the phone or the Internet?It's gonna be Niles/C.C. obviously!;) So here's the first chapter,pleaase let me know what you think. And also, my oneshots and another project take priority, so this might be updated once a week,depending on how busy I am.**

**Disclaimer: Mary's mine...the others ain't..**

_Chapter 1:Partings_

She had to pinch herself if she wanted to be sure that this was really happening. The entire Sheffield and the entire Fine clan had come to say their goodbyes to Niles, who had been a wonderful butler and friend to all of them. C.C. stood at the back, feeling rather out of place. She was following the happenings with her eyes, but it was as if they couldn't convey the information to her brain fast enough. She took another step back until her body painfully collided with the wall of the house and she immediately bit down hard on her bottom lip so that no sound would betray her.

"Aren't you going to say goodbye to me,Miss Babcock?" his soft baritone reached her ears and so she shook herself out of her stupor.

He somehow must've moved through the crowds of people to reach her. She looked into his blue eyes and felt unable to speak.

"It's alright, I am going to miss you too, witch." he confided, winking at her.

A strangled sounding laugh escaped her lips, as he pulled her into his arms. Niles always had this remarkable ability to understand what was going on inside other people.

"Call me when you get there." she whispered into his ear and she could feel him nodd in reply.

"Look after yourself." he said,pulling away and gently squeezed her hands.

The minute he walked away and took his seat in the waiting cab, she felt unable to breathe. Instead there was a sharp,throbbing pain in her chest that she couldn't explain. And so, clutching her aching body, she didn't remain outside with the others who were still waving, but walked back inside the house.

Sitting down on the sofa, uncertain how long her feet would still carry her, she began to think about how it had gotten this far. It had all been a matter of weeks really... One day, everything had been normal, the next Niles had returned from the grocery store with a big smile on his face. He had met a woman, Mary, who was in town for a month to write a travel guide. They had immediately hit it off...Mary was 10 years younger than him but instantly bowled over by his charm. She was warm and caring, and exactly what he needed. They had begun dating soon afterwards and she had made him feel special, loved and so very young again. C.C. wouldn't have believed it, had she not seen it with her own eyes, but he actually looked younger. His eyes were sparkling with mischief, something she was only used to seeing when he played a prank on her; his laugh lines became more pronounced and there generally seemed to be a spring ins his step. 2 weeks later he had proposed to Mary, taking everyone by surprised. But he had explained that he had been alone long enough and that he wouldn't pass up any more chances. Mary accepted the proposal and Niles was over the moon, but he also came home bearing some groundbreaking news. Because Mary's time in New York was nearly over, she had asked him to move back to England with her. And so, after several discussions with Maxwell, he had agreed to go with her. She had a small apartment in the outskirts of London which was close to the little village in which Niles' parents lived-everything was perfect. C.C. knew that it wasn't easy for Niles to leave, he had known Maxwell since their childhood and he loved Nanny Fine and the kids dearly. She had never realised, however, how much his departure would affect _her_.

She forced herself to make it through the day, always focussing on the phonecall Niles had promised he would make. But it still seemed endless and everytime someone mentioned his name, she just wanted to cry. Finally it was time to go home, and so she saw herself out and hailed a cab. Checking her watch she saw that it was 7 pm, Niles had landed an hour ago. She knew that the earliest she could expect a call was at 8, but she still handed the cab driver more money to speed things up.

Rushing into her apartment, she instantly put down her bag on the couch and moved into the bedroom to change. She pulled out a pair of silky pyjamas from underneath her pillows and put them on. She then stepped into the bathroom,splashed some cold water into her face to make herself more alert, if that was even possible with the adrenalin coursing through her body; she tied her hair into a loose ponytail and grabbed her bathrobe. Once in the kitchen she selected a meal, put it into the microwave and poured herself a glass of wine, while waiting.

By 8 o'clock she had finished eating, and had settled down on the sofa with the telephone in front of her on the table.

At 9 o'clock he still hadn't called and so she began leafing through a magazine in an attempt to calm her nerves.

By 10pm she had emtpied half the bottle of wine and was slowly growing more and more frustrated.

When the clock finally indicated that it was midnight, she gave up and went to bed. Maybe he hadn't been serious when he had said he'd call...after all, they hadn't exactly been close,had they?

* * *

She had been asleep for what felt like mere minutes, when the phone rang. Completely startled, she picked up and mumbled:

"Hello?"

"Hello,Miss Babcock. I'm very sorry, I know I promised to call you earlier, but Mary and I got here and then went out to meet her friends and we completely forgot the time.."

"You don't need to apologise,Niles. I can assure you I had plenty of things to do, I wouldn't have noticed if you hadn't called." she said, instantly regretting her harsh tone, but too afraid that he'd guess the truth.

"Ah well, I'm sure you were busy." he replied and she could tell by his humorous tone that he hadn't believed a word "I'm really sorry if I woke you up, but I just thought I'd let you know I'm safe...and bear the wrath of the witch,if need be."

She chuckled softly and closed her eyes, desperate to ignore the fluttering of her heart.

"Thanks." she said gently, knowing that he would understand.

"Well listen, Babs, I have to run, Mary's prepared breakfast. But how about I call you again tomorrow at 7 o'clock New York time?"

Looking over at her alarm clock and realising that it was 3 in the morning, she said:

"Good point,Butlerboy. I need my sleep if I want to make it though the day hearing Nanny Fine's voice. But 7 shold be fine...listen,Niles, you really don't have to..."

The rest of the sentence got stuck in her throat and she was glad when Niles spoke.

"I couldn't go another day without your "Hello,Hello!" This transition is hard for me,too."

"Go and have breakfast with your fiancee,Bellboy." she said and hung up, just in time before the first tears began to fall.


	2. The Phone Call

**Hello,Hello!:) So I wrote half of chapter 2 last night...and sorta just finished it off today. It's a little earlier than I expected...but it was just on my mind. Apologies,folks...I'm really tired again tonight coz I've actually managed to catch a cold...I've taking a big dose of lemsip...but my eyelids are growing heavy again. I will try and get another oneshot posted tonight, no promises though. I hope you can bear with me!;)**

**Disclaimer:I own nothing...**

_Chapter 2:The Phone Call_

When she got up the next morning she had a splitting headache. She clearly hadn't gotten enough sleep and Niles' words were haunting her still. What was he doing in England with a woman whom he had just met when he was obviously happier in New York? Or was she just projecting her feelings? After all, she didn't really know where Niles was happier. And, if he was in love with that woman, chances were, he was actually happier in England.

She took an ice cold shower in the morning to wake herself up and to make her feel something, anything, apart from the burning emptiness Niles had left in her heart. She only drank a cup of black coffee for breakfast,because she didn't feel particularly hungry but knew that she somehow had to make it though the day.  
And what a day it would be... every room, every word seemed to echo with Niles' memory. Nanny Fine opened the door and not him,no insult was flung at her...and no-one was brave enough to stand up to her. She tried it once with Maxwell, but found that he was getting agitated and not in the good way. She took her insults literally,as insults...Niles would've known how to respond. She sighed softly..he was missing in the house. There had been some days where she had hardly seen him but somehow just knowing that he was there, had made her feel safe. And now she knew that he wasn't...and everything just felt wrong.

She worked the entire day, never once stopping for a break, not even when Maxwell insisted. And afterwards she drove to the theatre to go over some contracts...in other words, she did everything to keep herself away from her empty apartment. It was just after 6 when she decided that she really needed to head back home if she didn't want to miss his call. On the way she got stuck in heavy traffic and was severely delayed. She nervously strummed her fingers against her leg, while feeling the tension taking over her body. This could not be happening, she would not allow something as silly as a traffic jam to stop her from talking to Niles. But as the minutes ticked on she knew that she had to act,and fast. And, throwing the door of the car open, she jumped outside,ignoring the cries of "Miss Babcock!" that her driver elicited. She wouldn't miss that phone call...and so she began to run down the five blocks that still separated her from the penthouse. At three minutes past seven she raced through the door of her apartment, just in time to hear the telephone ring.

Quickly grabbing it she whispered "Niles!"

When she heard his soft chuckle at the other end of the line,she realised just how needy she must've sounded.

"Right,lets start this again." she said "Pretend you just called me and I am picking up now." And before he could reply,she said as happily as she could manage: "Hello,Hello!"

His laugh was even more heartfelt than the first one.

"Thank you, now I can die a happy man." he said and she instantly relaxed "You're breathing very loudly. Are you in a hurry?I don't want to keep you."

"No,I just...I just got home.I thought I may have missed your call."

"I would've called again,Miss Babcock." he assured her gently and she found herself smiling."Have you eaten yet?" he asked after a moment of comfortable silence.

"No, I haven't actually. I spent the entire day working and sorting out contracts for the new show... I didn't really stop for food." she answered truthfully, suddenly noticing that she was famished.

"I'm not even gone 2 days yet and you already neglect yourself?Ah,Babs, what are you going to do without me?" he scolded her gently.

She felt a familiar lump in her throat as the tears were welling up in her eyes again. It hurt so much to keep all these feelings to herself. She yearned to tell him that ever since he left,it hurt just to breathe, that every day was riddled with people and objects that told silent stories about him,that she missed him so much that it nearly ripped her apart. But she couldn't...not after one day...it was too soon, it wasn't the right time...and it certainly wasn't appropriate.

"You're not going to hang up on me again,are you Babcock?" he asked,as if he had guessed her inner turmoil.

"No..."she breathed,and then collecting herself, said "I'm just trying to decide what to have for dinner."

He knew that she wasn't telling the truth, but decided to let it go this time. It was quite remarkable really...he only needed to hear her voice to know what was going on inside her...but none of it made up for the fact that he was missing her beautiful blue eyes.

"What are you going to eat then?Not another one of those godawful microwave meals,I hope."

"Actually yes...now that a certain butler isn't there to cook for me anymore." she replied,while punching in the time on the machine.

"True, but it still isn't good for you,Miss Babcock. Starving yourself the entire day and then only having a cheap meal...you should really eat something fresh."

"I can't cook that well." she snapped playfully "Besides, by the time I get home I'm too tired to actually be bothered."

When she heard the beeping of the machine she took out a plate and filled the contents onto it. She then carried it all over to the table and sat down on the sofa.

"Ok,I'm ready now. Tell me about your day while I'm eating."

"Alright, but I'd hate to bore you." he said.

"I just need to hear your voice." she whispered quietly,hoping that he hadn't heard it.

"Well, this morning Mary prepared breakfast,as you know. She decided she wanted to spoil me,in order to make this move easier for me. We stayed in bed a little while longer and then went out for lunch at Covent Garden. It's where she goes to write her books and it just so happens that I love it too.I enjoy sitting out in the sun watching all the artists and then went for a walk down the Thames, which was very lovely, we had surprisingly good weather for this time of year. And then we headed back home and I prepared some dinner for us,before we cuddled up on the couch."

C.C. swallowed,blinking away the tears. It just wasn't right...why was he doing all these things with a woman that wasn't her?

"Where is she now?I'm sure she's missing you already..." she choked out.

"Oh she's in the bedroom,reading.I'm just out on the balcony,enjoying a bit of fresh air." he explained,cradling the phone against his cheek as if that would bring her closer.

She could picture him perfectly, standing somewhere in London out on a balcony, the soft wind brushing through his hair.

"Where are you?" he asked.

"Oh, just curled up on the sofa."

"Hair pinned up,wearing your reading glasses?" he asked,laughing lightly.

"No, I didn't have the time...how did you know?"

"I just know,Miss Babcock." he sighed quietly and hoped she would be content with his answer.

"Please, Niles,call me C.C." she offered gently and she knew that he had begun to smile,even though he was miles away.

"I would love nothing more." he replied, and the warmth of his tone warmed her heart.

"What are you going to do about work?" she asked quickly, trying to move past the emotional moment.

"I haven't really thought about it yet. At the moment,Mary and I are still doing fine, but I should start looking as soon as possible. But problem is, that people don't really need a butler anymore..."

"I'm sure you'll find something, Niles. Anyone would be lucky to have you."

"Ah,Babs, what's happening?You're suddenly going all soft on me!" he teased, grinning to himself when he heard that sultry laugh he loved so much.

Just then he felt warm arms wrapping around his body.

"It's time to come to bed,darling." Mary whispered seductively.

"Oh,sounds like you have to go." C.C. whispered and Niles hated to hear that the sadness had returned to her voice.

"Yes, but tomorrow evening, same time?" he offered,hoping that it would cheer her up.

"Of course." her quick reply came.

He turned around to make sure that Mary had gone back to bed,before he whispered:

"Good, because I just need to hear the sound of your voice too,C.C."

"Niles?" she asked, but the click at the end of the line told her that their call had been disconnected.


	3. Silence

**I can't believe I'm writing this, but chapter 3 is up!lol I'm actually consumed by this story at the moment...so much,that I do dream about it too...strange. Anyway, I'm still not feeling any better. Right now I'm actually on a big low and wish I could just sleep instead of going to the supermarket...I might not update my oneshots tonight, coz I have a feeling I might be feeling very rough tonight. But I've got the day off Uni tomorrow, so maybe I'll post something during the day. God,I hate being ill...**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing...but could do with a certain butler looking after me...**

_Chapter 3: Silence_

"Good morning, sweety!" Mary's soft voice reached his ears and a moment later he felt her arms around him.

Opening his eyes he found that she had propped her head on his chest and was watching him intently.

"Good morning, my beautiful lady." he replied and smiled at her "Did you sleep well?"

"After last night, how couldn't I?" she whispered, winking at him.

He immediately broke into a grin as his stomach was doing somersaults. He effortlessly flipped her over, so that she was lying on her back and he was hovering just inches above her.

"Care to do it again?"

She broke into fits of giggles and tenderly kissed him.

"As much as I would love to,I'm afraid we can't. With the New York guide posted to the publisher's, I really need to start working on another book."

"Mmh..."he replied,nodding while getting to his feet "I should really start looking for work,too."

"Nonsense, that can wait." she interrupted him "I've got better plans. I thought my next guide could be about Cambridge...It would nice to see the city again and we could visit your parents on the way?"

"That sounds like a marvelous idea." he agreed, beaming at her.

* * *

After breakfast they took the next train to Baldock. He had called his parents immediately to let them know they were coming and they had been delighted to hear it, they hadn't seen their son for quite some time. Once in Baldock they set off by foot, for his parents' house was only a few minutes away. They were living in a typical Victorian mid terraced house that was small, but at the same time big enough for the two of them. When Niles rang the doorbell it was his father who answered.

"Ah, my boy!" he exclaimed, pulling his son into a hug immediately "It's wonderful to see you. And this must be the lovely lady who has won your heart."

Niles' parents were very warm people and so it wasn't surprising that Mary got along with them just fine. They chatted for a little while, before Marianne asked him to help her in the kitchen. He had learned his cooking skills from his mother and was only too happy to assist her.

"So Niles,tell me. Are you happy?" she asked while they were both chopping vegetables.

"Yes,of course,ridiculously happy. Why would you even ask?" he replied.

"I just noticed that everytime the conversation turned to New York,you got that sad look in your eyes."

"Well,what do you expect?I've only left a few days ago...it's been my home for such a long time."

"But you love that woman?" Marianne pressed on.

"Of course I do, mother, otherwise I wouldn't have asked her to marry me."

"Mmh..."Marianne said,contemplating for a moment "Have you talked to Maxwell yet?"

"Only briefly...I've spent a lot of time on the phone with C.C.,so I didn't really have the chance to talk to him properly yet."

At this statement,his mother's eyes were beginning to sparkle.

"This C.C. seems very important to you...are you going to talk to her tonight?"

"Well,I was going to..."he replied hesitantly "But since Mary and I are going to Cambridge,I can't really..."

"You should call her now and let her know." and she went out into the corridor to fetch the phone.

"Mother, why are you acting so strange today? Yes,I will call C.C., but it can wait."

"No,it can't,Niles. You've got to let her know. I can see that she excites you, can you say the same about Mary?"

* * *

C.C. had spent another horrendous morning working with Maxwell. It just didn't seem to get easier. Earlier that day Grace had burst through the door, tears in her eyes, crying because Niles' hadn't been there to see her off to school.C.C. knew only too well how she was feeling, but she wasn't allowed to show her tears. And so she had taken her usual place on the green loveseat,pretending to read through a script, while her mind kept circling around Niles' last phone call. Just then the telephone rang.

"Maxwell Sheffield?Oh Niles, how wonderful to hear from you."

C.C.'s heart immediately began to race but she tried to hide it as best as possible.

"It's good to hear that you're well. We all miss you, Gracie was in tears this morning because you weren't there."

She could hear Niles' muffled reply and wished that Maxwell would just put him on speakerphone.

"Yes, C.C. is here. Ok...ok...yes, hang on a minute." Maxwell said and then looked at her "He wants to talk to you.I'll put him on."

She nodded,biting her lip.

"Miss Babcock?" she finally heard his voice say and was slightly upset that he was using the formal name again.

"Yes,I'm here,Niles." she replied quietly.

"I just wanted to let you know that there has been a change of plans. Mary and I have gone to see my parents today,we're just about to have dinner now and afterwards we're off to Cambridge, so I'm afraid I won't have a telephone I can use tonight."

She could hear the sadness in his tone,but it didn't ease the pain that his words caused. She was glad when Maxwell interrupted, it gave her the chance to collect herself.

"Cambridge?But Niles, isn't that like entering enemy territory?" he joked, before explaining to her "Niles went to Oxford as well,you see."

"I know..." C.C. muttered absent-mindedly "He's an intelligent man...But if you will excuse me now, I have to go to the bathroom." and she got to her feet and walked away.

"Well,that was strange."Maxwell commented "Is she alright?"

"No, she isn't..." Niles whispered more to himself than to anyone.

She locked herself in the bathroom,allowing the tears to flow freely. Why did he have to leave her? Why did he have to move to a country that was so far away? And why wouldn't the pain stop...her chest was still aching, her entire body was aching...and there was nothing she could do about it.

"I love him..." the words escaped her lips and she pressed a hand to her mouth,trying in vain to stifle the sobs that broke free. But he was gone now,and would never return. And even if he did, he would never be her Niles...he was with Mary now.

* * *

That night she went back to the theatre, just to keep herself busy. And there he was, the tall,dark actor who always tried to get her attention. This time she accepted his offer to take her out. They went for a meal and she drank a lot,trying to drown her sorrows. Afterwards he escorted her back to the penthouse and before she could react,he had started kissing her, his hands wandering all over her body. But it didn't feel right...she was lonely and she needed it...but it just didn't feel right.

"Stop.."she breathed and pushed him away from her "I'm sorry,I just can't..."

And she rushed into her apartment,slamming the door shut behind her. She allowed herself to slide down against the door, arms wrapped around herself. She loved Niles and intimacies with other men wouldn't change that...and so she sat in her dark apartment, faced with a silence she was unable to handle.


	4. You've Got Mail

**This is getting a little bit out of hand really!lol 2 updates in 1 day!lol I've pretty much planned the whole thing now ;) So I may be done soon-ish...depending on how much writing I can get done in the next few days!;) I hope you enjoy this chapter...it's a little bit lighter than the last one!;) I'm not feeling too rough at the moment,so I'll at least start writing the next oneshot!:) If it isn't up in the next couple of hours,it'll definitely be up tomorrow afternoon! Read&Review please!:)**

**Disclaimer: I still don't own a Butler Boy...*sighs***

_Chapter 4: You've got mail_

Niles couldn't sleep very well that night. Somehow he always kept picturing C.C. in her empty apartment. He knew that he had hurt her by cancelling their phone call, but there was nothing he could do about it.

He spent the next morning with Mary,they had breakfast in a little B&B before they headed towards the city centre to go exploring. Cambridge reminded him a bit of Oxford, the colleges looked very much the same, yet it was different, bigger,more commercialized somehow,and he found himself longing for the beauty and the peace of Oxford. It was mid-afternoon when Mary left him to interview a couple of people and he decided to put his plan into action. He found the next pay-phone and rang Maxwell. He talked to Gracie for a little while, missing her just as much as she was missing him. He also caught up on some gossip with Fran and when he finally made it through to Maxwell,his request practically burst out of him.

"I need Miss Babcock's e-mail address!" he demanded,shocked at his tone.

"Sure,old man. What do you need it for?"

"Oh, just wedding stuff..."he lied "I need the help of a woman."

"Why didn't you ask Miss Fine?" Maxwell replied,curious about Niles' sudden interest in C.C.

"I would, but this is supposed to be a tasteful wedding. Now,can I have her e-mail address?"

"Of course..I'm sure she won't mind."

"Thank you." he said while scribbling it down on a piece of paper "And please tell her to check her mails."

And with that he was off to find an Internet Cafe, which turned out to be harder than he thought. The library had closed at noon and although there was wireless access in many cafes,it didn't help him one bit,because he didn't have a laptop with him. He was already growing desperate,when he decided to stop by the tourist information, to ask them. The woman at the desk was rather helpful and told him that a popular place was in a news agency on King's Parade. He thanked her and was on his way. King's parade was only two minutes away and soon he found himself in front of the news agency.

"Excuse me, can I use the Internet in here?" he asked,doubtful because he hadn't spotted any computers.

"Yes,Sir. It's just down here." the cashier said and pointed down a flight of stairs "Use computer number 5."

Niles nodded and headed into the cellar. It looked like an unlikely place, it was dark and he had trouble finding the light switch. But when he did and the room was illuminated,he saw a number of computers. He sat down and switched on number 5 and waited until he could go online.

* * *

C.C. still hadn't quite recovered from her shocking revelation the previous night. Inside she was still deeply shaken and only glad that she didn't have to deal with the actor any time soon.

"I'm back,Maxwell." she announced,walking into his office "Sorry I'm late...I got a bit lost in thoughts."

Checking her watch she realised that she was,in fact, half an hour late. She had forced herself to stay true to her word and had gone on a lunch break...and now it was nearly twelve o'clock.

"No problem,C.C. Listen, I had a phone call, I think you should check your e-mails."

She stared at him, confused, for a moment before walking over to the desk and picking up the laptop they sometimes used. She was intrigued by this lack of information and prayed that it would take her mind off Niles. The moment she went online there was a voice that greeted her: "You've got mail", she smiled to herself. There was indeed a new message in her inbox,but she didn't know from whom it was.

_"My dearest C.C.,_  
_I apologise for going behind your back to get your e-mail address, but I knew you would be at the Sheffields'. I simply couldn't leave things the way they were yesterday...I know that you are a proud woman, and I take the risk of offending you, but I know that I upset you yesterday. I'm terribly sorry I had to cancel our phone call,believe me, I was looking forward to it myself. Now the fact that I spent last night tossing and turning because I couldn't reach you and make you feel better,says enough in itself...believe me, I realise how highly inappropriate this is. I am engaged to Mary and yet I spend all my free time speaking to another woman...frankly, I don't know what to make of it myself,all I know is that I can't live with myself knowing that I have hurt you. We'll be leaving Cambridge tonight, so I could call you again tomorrow night? But I need to ask you something first...and all I ask is that you are honest with me. I thought it was a good idea if we stayed in touch, I thought it would make this transition easier for us, but I can't help but wonder now if we should continue doing this. Don't misunderstand me,please, I'm not trying to tell you to leave me alone... on the contrary,I am...just very confused. I don't know how I could manage a day without hearing from you, but if you decide that that's the only way for you to move on, then I will do it somehow. But just tell me...whichever decision you make, I shall comply. If I close my eyes I can see your sky-blue eyes reading this e-mail and glaring at the screen. I miss you,C.C., but I need you to tell me what's best for you. I've attached some photos so that you know what this old maid is getting up to without you._  
_Love,_  
_Niles."_

She could feel tears welling up in her eyes as the relief washed over her. He missed her still, he hadn't forgotten her...

_"I am engaged to Mary and yet I spend all my free time speaking to another woman...frankly,I don't know what to make of it..." _What did he mean by that? Should she get her hopes up?Was there the possibility still that he might love her?Pushing her thoughts aside for a moment, she opened the attachment. She was glad to find that there were only photos of him, she was certain she wouldn't be able to stand to see a picture of the happy couple. She picked out her favourite one immediately. On it he was standing by a river, his eyes shining with happiness while the soft breeze ruffled his hair. She sighed and, ignoring Maxwell's stare,began to type.

**_"Niles,_**  
**_you are ,of course, forgiven for yesterday. I don't even have the right to forgive you as you have done nothing wrong. I'm sorry I reacted the way I did...but you have no idea how hard this has been on me. I can tell you all of this now,because I am only writing it. I never realised what a vital part you played in my life...I miss it all so much now,Niles: The pranks, the zingers, your smile...Trust me, when I close my eyes I can almost make believe you are here with me. If none of this has answered your question,then let me do it directly: Please don't stop calling!If I never hear from you again, I think I would die. I am fully aware of how inappropriate our behaviour is, but for now I don't care...as long as that means I get to hear your voice. But if it is making things unbearable for you,let me know... I wouldn't want you to be unhappy. Yours,_**  
**_C.C."_**

He read her e-mail when they were on the way back to London. Mary had stopped writing on her laptop a little while ago to take a nap, and so he had used the opportunity to check his mails. He read her e-mail twice, in order to assure that he was taking everything in. The depth of her emotion touched him deeply and in that moment he wished he was in New York,so that he could hold her.

_"Good God woman, you nearly moved a grown man to tears. I am glad to hear that you are obviously as attached to me as I am to you. I am sitting on the train at the moment, we're on our way back to London...Mary is asleep,so I borrowed her laptop. What are you up to? Did you eat something today?" _he stopped for a moment, reading over what he had written_ "I still cannot believe I've only been gone a couple of days. I miss New York, I miss the Sheffields...but above all I miss you,my little witch. You always make me laugh...and apparently it's rather obvious too. Even my mother commented,saying that you're the woman who excites me..."_

**_"I never realised you were a grown man,Butler Boy. Sometimes I look at you and all I can see is a little boy.I'm still in Maxwell's office and yes,I did have a lunch break.I will head home soon I think,but you know Maxwell...he'd be lost without me...especially now,that you are gone. So your mother thinks I can excite you,huh? What gave her that idea? But I am almost certain that I'd have ways to excite you, a shame you are never going to find out..."_**

_"Two of my favourite nicknames in one mail,Babs. You sure know how to push my buttons. And to answer your question: I don't know what gave her the idea. I only told her that we've been talking to each other on the phone quite a lot...maybe she sensed something...I'm afraid to tell you that, as much as I'm enjoying this, we're approaching London now and I have to wake up Mary. You should go home soon and eat something, I will call you tomorrow,same time!I hope your big apartment won't seem too lonely till then._  
_Niles _

_P.S.: I am never going to find out? I'll let you in on a secret,you have already excited me more often than you know._


	5. If You Go Away

**Hi guys!:) I'm here with your daily update!;) lol So this chapter is a little angsty again...this story will probably have 8 chapters in total. For this one I've used lyrics from a wonderful song called "If you go away" or in french "Ne me quitte pas"...the version I've heard is sung by Steve Barton. He's one of my favourite singers who sadly died in 2001 because of a heart attack and last year and this year CDs are being released with tracks that haven't been heard version is nowhere on the Internet but there's a pretty decent one by Sinatra on youtube. It's a beautiful if also sad song, that I thought worked very well for this story.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing and I only borrowd the lyrics...**

_Chapter 5: If you go away_

That night the silence in her apartment wasn't as bad as it had been before, it was bearable. And everytime the loneliness seemed to overwhelm her, she'd simply open her laptop and read his mails again or look at the photos he had sent her.

"You'll talk to him tomorrow." she kept telling herself over and over again.

* * *

The next morning , when she rushed into the Sheffields' house her "Hello,Hello!" was almost as cheery as it had been on a regular day before Niles had left. After all, now that a new day had begun it was only a matter of hours before she would hear his voice again.

Everything went smoothly until the lunch break, when Nanny Fine found her in the kitchen and wanted to have words with her.

"Only if it's about something of actual importance." C.C. said,rolling her eyes.

"Miss Babcock, it is very important to me, but I dunno how to talk to ya about it without getting my head bitten off." Fran said,nervously playing with her hair.

"Just tell me!" C.C. snapped at her, eager to get out of the kitchen.

"It's about Niles,really." Fran began and suddenly C.C. was listening "Mr Sheffield told me that Niles asked for your e-mail address yesterday and that you were mailing each other for the rest of the day."

"And?" C.C. pressed, uncertain where this was going.

"And..after some pushing,Mr Sheffield also told me that he thinks you and Niles have been talking on the telephone every night since he left."

"Not that it's any of your business,Nanny Fine, but what if we did?" she provoked.

"Now, this is where I dunno how to tell ya.I don't really get that relationship you two are having, but it always seemed to work. Now I know that Niles has liked you for some time...but you're like a brick wall, I dunno if you like him or not."

C.C. was not inclined to answer the unspoken question and simply continued to stare at her.

"But I have a feeling that you like Niles too. But you gotta understand he's with anotha woman now and you've seen how happy she makes him. If you really like him, Miss Babcock, you gotta let him go. We all miss Niles and it's hard for us, but he's gone now...if you keep being so needy,you might end up ruining his relationship with Mary...and you would definitely lose him then."

C.C. felt unable to move or breathe,she hadn't expected this, least of all from Nanny Fine.

"Please,I'm not trying to be mean. I just don't wantcha or Niles to get hurt."and she softly squeezed her hand and left the kitchen.

* * *

After that the rest of the day seemed to pass by in a daze,almost as if in slow motion. She couldn't forget Nanny Fine's words...she was right,after all. Niles had told her that he was confused about his actions and feelings...and what had she said? That she didn't care... Why did she have to be so selfish? He was engaged to another woman, for heaven's sake...why couldn't she just let him go.

That night she went home earlier because the weather forecast had predicted a bad storm. Funny how this always seemed to happen when her emotions were caught in a turmoil as well. Once inside her apartment, she didn't even switch the lights on, but simply took the bottle of red wine she had started a few nights before,and poured herself a glass. She sat in silence, listening to the rain pounding against the window. If she kept in touch with him and his relationship wouldn't work out...chances were,he'd blame her...and the sad truth was,that he would have every right. Secretely she hated Mary, for being so perfect and so young, for winning his heart with such ease,when it had taken her such a long time to realise just much in love with him she was. Why couldn't it be straight forward for her? Why hadn't she noticed what was right in front of her?He had loved her...and now it was too late,he had given up hope...and she had no right to claim him now. When the silence became too heavy,she got to her feet and walked over to her radio. When she switched it on a low,melancholy tune reached her ears.

_If you go away on this summer's day _

_Then you might as well take the sun away _

_And all the birds that flew in the summer sky _

_When our love was new and our hearts were high _

_And the days were young and the nights were long _

_And the moon stood still for the night bird's song _

_If you go away,if you go away,if you go away..._

**_"If I never hear from you,I would die."_ **she had written and it wasn't dramatic, it was a plain fact. If Niles would never call her again, if she could never hear his gentle voice, it would kill her...slowly and painfully kill her...It was bad enough that she didn't get to see him anymore, his blue eyes, his beautiful smile...but if she never heard his voice again...

_But if you stay I'll make you a day _

_Like no day has been,or will be again _

_We'll sail on the sun, we'll ride on the rain _

_We'll talk to the trees and worship the wind_

The ironic thing was that she knew that Mary was good for Niles, but she wasn't _right_ for him...because it wasn't her. Only C.C. herself was the right woman for him. She was like the only piece of the puzzle that fit with him...she alone held the key to his happiness in her hands.

_But if you go, I'll understand _

_Leave me just enough love to fill up my hand _

_If you go away, if you go away,if you go away..._

She could survive like this now... as long as they talked every day. Then she could tell by the sound of his voice, that he still held love for her in his heart... but if the conversations stopped...how could she be certain?

_If you go away, as I know you will _

_You must tell the world to stop turning _

_'Til you return again, if you ever do _

_For what good is love without loving you?_

_Can I tell you now, as you turn to go _

_I'll be dying slowly until the next hello _

_If you go away,if you go away,if you go away..._

She knew she had to tell him how she felt... he deserved to know...even if it meant to hear his rejection. But he deserved to know...

_If you go away, as I know you must _

_There is nothing left in this world to trust _

_Just an empty room,full of empty space _

_Like the empty look I see on your face _

_I'd been the shadow of your shadow _

_If you might have kept me by your side _

_If you go away,If you go away...please,don't go away_

But then she realised that this was exactly what Nanny Fine had meant...It wasn't the right time to tell him, the right time had long since gone...and if she told him now she would tip his world upside down. And he would hate her for ruining his relationship...and then he would be gone forever. The only chance she had was to pretend to be strong, make even him believe that she was doing alright. A phone call once a week would suffice for the start...she would get used to it,wouldn't she?

Just then the telephone rang and dragged her out of her thoughts. Without checking her watch she knew that it would be him...she let it ring several times before picking up.

"Hello.."

"Finally, Babs. I thought you had changed your mind and found something more important to occupy your time with." he laughed, but she could hear the truth behind his words.

She held the phone away from her as the first sob escaped her lips.

"C.C., are you alright?" she could hear him ask,even though she was holding the telephone at arm's length "Please C.C.,talk to me."

"Niles..." she whispered and put the phone back, cradling it against her cheek. "Niles..." she whispered again, only able to say his name.

"I'm here,my love." he replied, his voice quiet and gentle "Talk to me,please. I can't bear to hear you cry when I'm not there to make it better."

"Niles, you have to tell me if things become unbearable. Promise me you will. And promise you won't leave me...no matter how cold,or foolish I may have been or will be...you can never doubt me...please,promise you won't leave me." it all broke out, her resolve crumbled by the concern in his tone.

"C.C., I would never even consider leaving you.I promise you,my love, I'll never let you go."

She knew that she would feel embarassed by her outburst later on, but all that mattered now was the soothing sound of his voice and the barely concealed love.


	6. In Sickness and in Health

**Hello,Hello!:) After I had a shower,I had a little energy burst! ( no pun intended... for those of you who have read my recent oneshot...lol) So I kinda,sorta..maybe...wrote chapter 6!Dear lord...we're heading for the great finish. Definitely 2 more chapters to go. I hope you still enjoy this!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing...only have tunes from "In Fashion" in my head though...ah Daniel Davis,you wonderful man!:)**

_Chapter 6:In sickness and in health_

She didn't know how it had happened, but when she awoke the next morning her throat felt like sandpaper. Everytime she swallowed,it felt as if rocks were going down her throat. When she finally got out of bed she was hit by an enormous headache that made her feel so dizzy she had to sit down again. Reaching over for the telephone she called Maxwell and told him that she was sick. She hated being ill, she had hated it as a child but despised it even more so as an adult. As a child at least her Nanny had taken care of her, now as an adult, there was no-one there to look after her.

* * *

As the day progressed she only felt worse. Her nose was either stuffed up or runny,which wasn't a very nice combination. She spent most of the day curled up on the sofa,covered by a blanket and watched sappy love movies. That was another thing...everytime she was ill and became aware that she was still alone, she got incredibly emotional and so she watched old romance movies. Even though they were corny she couldn't help but wish life would really be that simple.

By the evening she had set up a kind of camp. The couch was covered with new and used tissues, while her table was full with a variety of objects: nasal spray, tablets,a tea pot,magazines, all lay scattered across it. She had just been falling asleep when the phone rang.

"Hello?" she mumbled,opening her eyes to be immediately met by a sharp pain above her eyebrow.

"Are you feeling better today,C.C.?" Niles asked, who was sitting outside on the balcony again.

"Well, I've been better." she muttered and blew her nose.

"Have you been crying again?" he asked, concern obvious in his voice.

"No,I told you I'm fine. I've got a cold..." and she coughed slightly.

"How did that happen?" he asked.

"I don't know,Niles." she replied tersely "People get sick,ok?"

He chuckled, not taken aback at all by her tone.

"You are very impatient when you're ill,my little witch. I can call back tomorrow if you want to rest."

"Now you're just being mean." she huffed and lay back down on the sofa "You know that I still want to talk to you."

"It's always good to hear that, Babs. So what are the symptoms?"

"Just the usual. My entire body aches,especially my head though. Sore throat...runny nose...the whole wonderful deal."

Once again he chuckled lightly before his voice became more serious.

"I don't like that you're on your own."

"Well, would you like to come over and change that?" she asked, a content smile playing on her lips.

"C.C., don't tease me with something I can't have." he whispered and leaned back in his chair.

"Yes,I'm sure you would love to have me now. All flushed, with a bright red nose and full of germs." she replied sarcastically.

"Are you doubting my word,Miss Babcock?" he provoked her.

"Niles,you don't mean to tell me that..."

"C.C.,even if you're sick you're..." he stopped,biting his tongue.

"Yes?" she pressed on.

"It's still you...do you want to know what I'd see?A beautiful woman with dishevelled hair in her comfy pyjamas." and he added in his thoughts _"If anything, it would only make me love you more tenderly." _

"So what would you do if you were here?" she asked, intrigued by his silence and by the words he was omitting.

"I would make sure you'd eat something and that you always have enough tea. I would go out and buy more tissues if necessary. And then I would...are you sure you want to hear this?"

"Of course." she replied, still lost in a fantasy from the images he had created in her mind.

"I would curl up with you on the sofa, hold you in my arms ,so I can be certain that you are going to be alright."

A single tear silently slipped from the corner of her eye and ran down her cheek.

"Niles,there is something I need to tell you." she began, her heart beating rapidly.

"Tell me...oh no,wait!I'm getting another call.I will be right back."

C.C. sighed in frustration and waited for him to speak again.

* * *

Niles, in the meantime, was talking to Fran.

"Why are ya always on the phone to someone else when I'm trying to talk to ya?" she asked and then added "I miss ya,Scarecrow."

"I miss you too,Fran, and the children. But I am talking to C.C. at the moment..."

"C.C.,eh?" Fran asked "Are you 2 still doing this?"

"Yes,why wouldn't we?"

"Niles,you are engaged to Mary, you shouldn't still be in love with C.C."

"But Fran, I think she might-"

"Niles,listen to me. The otha day I was worried that she might like you more and that you had gotten ova her. But apparently I was wrong. She has a lova, did ya know that? Some actor from their show...said they went out a couplea times and that she's got the hots for him."

At that moment Niles was glad that no-one could see him. The pain and the frustration in his heart were so strong that he was clenching his fists.

"You must be mistaken..." he whispered,every word was harder than the first.

"Niles, you've got Mary, a gorgeous woman who loves ya. You need to get over Miss Babcock!"

"I'm sorry,Fran, I have to go now." and before she had the chance to speak again he had hung up.

"Niles?" C.C. asked when he heard the familiar click in the line.

"Yes,C.C. Listen, I have to go. Mary's waiting." he said and simply hung up.

His body was shaken by pain as he tried very hard not to cry. He loved her still, after all these years. Even though she had never given him hope that she felt the same, but he simply couldn't forget her. And what a fool he had been...he had nearly thrown away a perfectly good relationship because he had fallen for her again...No, he wouldn't waste this chance, it was time for action.

* * *

Mary hadn't meant to read his e-mails, it had been by pure accident,you see. She had been the surfing on the Internet while Niles had had one of his usual midnight calls. She assumed he was always talking to the kids or Maxwell, after all, he had known them his entire life. But after a while she had gotten bored and so had given in to the temptation and checked his e-mails, who knows, maybe he had already ordered things for their wedding. And that's when she had found the e-mails,the ones he had written with C.C. He was confused about his feelings...that meant...that nearly sounded as if he was in love with that woman?But that was impossible, everytime she had seen them, they had always been fighting. He always took his phone calls on the balcony,far away from the bedroom...all the time he had been talking to another woman...but she wouldn't allow her to take Niles away. Just then he appeared at the door, a fierce expression on his face.

"Mary, I would like to set a date for our wedding."


	7. The Words Left Unspoken

**Hi guys!:) I'm really so glad you're still reading this and hopefully enjoying it!;) We're almost there...the semi-final chapter.^^ If I feel good enough tonight, I will write the last chapter. But first I'll do the oneshot, as always!;) Bear with me in this chapter because in the next one Niles and C.C. will be united again!;) **

**Disclaimer: I own a ton of meds and tissues...but sadly not Niles and C.C. :( **

_Chapter 7:The words left unspoken_

The following weeks continued in much the same fashion. Niles would call her every night and they would talk. Some days it would be later than others, because he had found a job and worked as a chef in a restaurant. That first night, after he had hung up on her, he had treated her incredibly cooly. She had asked him over and over again what was wrong, but he had only made up excuses. It had caused her many sleepless nights...pondering over what might have happened between the moment of her almost confession and the moment he had hung up on her. Whom had he talked to? But a little while later his humorous, good-natured manner had returned and she had decided to let it go.

* * *

They had set the wedding for the 11th June, 2 months later. It wasn't a lot of time to plan a big wedding, but Mary had dreamed of it for a long time and had all the relevant phone numbers at hand. They would be married at the manor Mary's family owned and she couldn't wait for the big day to come. Niles had called his parents immediately to tell them the good news, but as his mother persistently kept asking questions about C.C., he had snapped at her,something that was very uncharacteristic of him and he had regretted it instantly. Mary had taken things in her hand and he was happy to let her do it, all that remained for him to do was tell the Sheffields and tell C.C.

The first night after they had set a date, he had called her with the sole intention of telling her about it. He wanted to rub it in, make her feel some of the pain she had caused him. But he couldn't...because everytime she picked up the phone he heard how happy she was, how relieved to hear from him. So he had tried to be distant and cold,trying to find out details about her love affair...trying, in a way, to punish himself, by forcing himself to face reality. But she never mentioned the other man, assuring him that she'd rather hear his voice than go out. And so, as ironic as it was, the ice queen had melted his heart again. He wasn't sure why he couldn't tell her about the impending wedding...it wasn't so much rational, as it was based on a simple feeling. Somehow he just knew that it would change everything if he told her that he was about to get married..

* * *

And so the weeks went by, until there were only 3 left before the wedding. C.C. was just about to head back home after a long day of work,when Maxwell called her back.

"Oh,C.C., I almost forgot. I've got something for you." he said and handed her a cream coloured envelope.

"What's this?" she asked.

"An invitation to Niles and Mary's wedding." Maxwell said smiling "It seems the big day is in 3 weeks. They certainly move fast,don't they?"

C.C. found herself nodding numbly, before she said her goodbyes and returned to her apartment.

She opened the envelope, as she sat down on her sofa. Her hands were trembling and she had trouble making out the words. The wedding would take place 11th June, a plane ticket was attached. This was it...now it was definitely over. Her last chance of winning him back... gone. Why hadn't she said the words when there had still been time? Why hadn't she stopped him from hanging up? She had been ready, that night...ready to tell him that she loved him...and now there was nothing left, only the words that were unspoken.

That night, when he rang her, she immediately picked up the phone and said:

"Niles, why didn't you tell me?"

He was silent for a minute before replying: "Why didn't I tell you what,C.C.?"

"That you are getting married in 3 weeks..." she whispered as tears silently began to fall.

He swallowed, almost certain he could hear her heart break.

"How did you know?" he asked.

"Your invitations arrived today."

"My invitations?I didn't send...ooh..Mary must've..." he muttered incoherently "I'm so sorry,C.C. I've been meaning to tell you...but it just never seemed to be the right time. I was afraid..."

She laughed bitterly.

"I know what you mean. I wanted to tell you something too but there was never the right time..."

"Tell me now." he suggested softly, sensing that it was of great importance.

"I can't,Niles..." she whispered "If I did, I would lose the only thing worth living for."

And at that moment he knew that she was feeling the same. It didn't matter that she couldn't say it, but his heart was certain that she loved him. But then ,a moment later, he remembered her affair with the actor and it shook his certainty. There was only one possibility left. He had to see her with his own eyes, then he would know if he was right.

"Are you going to come?" he asked carefully.

"I'm not sure if I can make it. This play Maxwell and I are doing keeps us really busy." she lied and when he failed to reply she asked:"Do you want me to come?"

"I need to see you,C.C." he whispered simply.

"Then I will come." she found herself saying.

* * *

The day of the wedding approached far too quickly and soon C.C. found herself at the airport with the rest of the Sheffields and Nanny Fine. When it was time to board the plane she found herself hesitate. She had promised him she'd come...but that would mean watching the man she loved getting married to another woman. And she was almost certain that even C.C. Babcock wasn't strong enough to bear this.

"Miss Babcock." Gracie said, tugging at her jacket "Please come with us. You need to tell him."

C.C.'s eyes widened as she looked at the little girl in front of her.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"I am not an adult,so I'm not that smart...Daddy tells me that it's wrong to split up a relationship, but you should tell Niles that you love him. He feels the same way about you,you know?"

She nodded, feeling tears well up in her eyes, and slowly followed Gracie onto the plane.


	8. Choices and Decisions

**Here we go folks,the moment we've all been waiting for!:) What is NIles going to do?Who will he pick?Well,we know that...but I still tried to keep it as interesting as possible!;) Also, 2 questions for you. 1. Should I write an "M"rated Epilogue for this?Yes,No? 2. I know I'm still writing my oneshots, but I'd really love some ideas for another chapter fic I could write, I'd appreciate your help!:)**

**Disclaimer: Still own nothing...**

_Chapter 8: Choices and Decisions_

In retrospect she didn't know how she survived the flight. She was so nervous that she couldn't even sleep. All she could think about was seeing him again and how she was supposed to tell him that she loved him. And so when everyone else had already fallen asleep, she was still watching the in-flight movie, without really paying attention to they had arrived at Heathrow, they all stepped into the minibus Maxwell had rented and were driven out to Chelmsford where the wedding would take place. The closer they were getting, the more nauseous C.C. felt. When the bus finally came to a standstill she was plagued by stomach pains so painful it was difficult not to show it. She was suddenly afraid to see Niles, afraid that something would be different. She hadn't forgotten him, his image was still imprinted in her mind,but what if he had changed in the past few months? What if he was nothing like the man she had fallen in love with anymore?

They all stepped out of the bus and walked into the big foyer of the manor house, where they were immediately greeted by butlers and 's when she managed the first smile, wondering how Niles must be feeling with all these people serving him. The party was already in full swing and so they didn't even have time to unpack or freshen up, but were immediately ushered into the main hall. She hadn't been prepared for this, she had thought that she would at least have a moment to collect her thoughts, instead of being simply tossed into the crowd of people. She walked slowly behind the Sheffields and nobody noticed,apart from Grace,who kept looking at her. C.C. felt him before she saw him,her eyes were suddenly drawn through the crow of people and a minute later he turned around and his blue eyes locked with hers. She nearly broke down then and there, seeing how handsome he looked in that tux. They simply looked at each other, unblinking as if the other people in the room had ceased to exist.

"C.C." Niles finally whispered and the spell was broken.

She was at the other side of the room, he had to get to her somehow, but Mary had heard his soft exclamation and instead kept an iron grip on him and pulled him into a kiss. He could only pull away, when he felt Maxwell's hand on his shoulder.

"Now come on,old man. Take it easy. You'll have your entire lifetime to do that."

Niles smiled as best as he could and embraced his old friend, while scanning the room for her face, but she was gone. He hugged all the Sheffields and finally found Grace at the window.

"Miss Grace?" he asked softly "I thought you missed me. Don't I get a hug?"

She turned around,beaming at him and practically flew into his arms.

"Oh Niles, you have to come home with us. Even Miss Babcock is very upset."

"Have you seen her?" he asked quickly.

"Uh-huh." Grace replied,nodding happily "She's out there in the park."

And she pointed through the window at the retreating figure of C.C.

"Thanks." he said and walked away.

* * *

He found her on one of the hills overlooking the village. The soft breeze was blowing through her hair and he approached her quietly, wanting to take her all in. She wore a beautiful red dress that hugged her curves and she was just as stunning as the last time he had seen her. He stood behind her, so closely that their bodies were touching.

"Now,am I really that appaling to look at that you had to run out of the room?" he teased, his breath softly brushing over her skin.

She let out a chuckle, that was followed by a series of sobs. The moment she had seen Mary kiss Niles, she knew she couldn't stay for the wedding, she couldn't bear to watch it. But he had found her,they were alone,this was the moment to tell him. But it was hard and far more complicated than she'd imagined...they had confided so much over the last months,forced to communicate by mail or telephone alone...but now he was here and could see what a mess she was. She wiped away the tears and then turned around to face him. She was visibly trembling as it took all her strength to look him in the eye. But when she did she saw that he was nearly crying himself,and the intensity of his gaze almost burned her alive. She cupped his face with her hands,her fingers gently caressing every wrinkle and every laughline. She wanted to remember his face,wanted to remember what his skin felt like underneath her fingers, just in case this would be the last time she saw him. And for once, although she had come to confess her love, there weren't any words necessary. She soon felt his arms around her as he pulled her into an embrace. She rested her head on his shoulder, allowing her hands to roam across his back,cherishing the feeling of his body against hers.

He could not believe how fragile and small she was,despite her height. He held on to her tightly,rubbing her back in small circles,afraid to let go of her in case she would break.

"Niles, how long can we stay like this?" she whispered, her breath tickling his ear.

He smiled, joyous to hear the beautiful sound of her voice and knowing that she was by his side.

"I told you, my love, I will never let you go." he replied,speaking against her neck,so that his lips brushed against her skin.

They remained like this for quite some time, but eventually Niles pulled away,still holding her hands.

"C.C., there is something important I need to tell you." he began and she lowered her gaze immediately "I never should have asked you to come to this wedding,but I needed to see you. But there's something I need you to do and I need you to trust me,can you do that?"

She nodded,biting her lip. He let go of her right hand to extract an envelope from his jacket pocket.

"You have to go to the airport, there is a flight back to New York tonight.I will explain later,alright?"

She didn't react, but her fists were clenched, as she was struggling to remain composed. He lifted her head with his fingers and forced her to look him in the eye.

"Trust me.C.C." he pleaded and leaned forward to place a gentle kiss in the corner of her mouth.

Neither one of them had noticed that they weren't alone. Marianne and Andrew Brightmore had gone for a walk in the beautiful sunshine and had stumbled upon them. Watching as the two embraced, Marianne had poked Andrew in the ribs and whispered: "She's the one."

C.C. didn't know what to think after Niles had left her. He didn't want her at the wedding anymore, he wanted her to go home. What should she do? Follow his wish and simply leave, or attend the wedding and tell him how she felt? Just then she felt a hand on her shoulder and turned around. She was facing a small woman who was still beautiful, despite her wrinkles and grey hair...but her eyes,so blue, so intense...where had she seen those eyes before?

"C.C.?" she asked and C.C. nodded "Whatever he's asked you to do is right...he knows what he's doing."

* * *

And so she found herself at the airport a couple of hours later,clutching the opened envelope in her hand. Boarding had started a few minutes ago, but she still felt reluctant to leave. She turned around when she heard hurried footsteps approach, and her heart nearly stopped. Niles was running towards her, still wearing the tux she had seen him in.

"What are you doing here?" she whispered, still unsure whether he was real or simply a figment of her imagination.

"I'm going home with the woman that I love." he replied, smiling at her and took her hand, pulling her along to board the plane.

C.C. was only able to stare at him as they were sitting on the plane, stare at their hands and their fingers that were still intertwined.

"But...you told me to go..."she muttered.

"Yes, but I also asked you to trust me,C.C." he said gently,wiping away her tears "I needed you to come to England to see for myself what my heart had told me,that you loved me." He said and gently stroked her cheek. "You see, Fran told me you were in a relationship with an actor from your new production,so I couldn't be certain. But the moment I laid eyes on you,I could tell how you felt.I only had to send you away because I knew I had to blow off the wedding, I wanted you as far away as possible so that nobody would insult or hurt you."

"I went out with him once...but he wanted more than I could give...I was trying to get over you,Niles, but I couldn't because I-" she stopped,eyeing him shyly.

"Yes?" he asked,while his thumb was gently caressing her hand.

"Because I love you,Niles, my god I love you." it all broke out and he hugged her as best as he could in their awkward position "The day you left it felt as if a piece of me died. I need you to complete me, if you ever leave me again,I don't know if I would make it."

"I promise I will stay with you,C.C." he said earnestly "Because I love you, with all my soul. God knows I tried to fight it,but it's impossible, you are like the air that I breathe."

She smiled at him, running her thumb across his lips. He slowly leaned in and kissed her gently, she felt soft and warm and tasted heavenly.

"I came here to tell you that I love you, Gracie only strengthened my resolve." she explained after they had pulled away "So when you asked me to leave I didn't know what to do. Whether to stay and tell you how I felt, or to follow your wish."

"What made you decide the way you did?" he asked.

"Your mother,Niles." she replied with a smile, realising who the woman had been "You have your mother's eyes,my love."


	9. Epilogue

**Here it is people!:) The very much asked for Epilogue!;) I am going to use this to apologise in advance. I came back today to discover that we have some sort of electricity problem in the house, which means...I can't access the Internet...let alone cook a meal...which is rather annoying, believe me. I will write my oneshots as I always do, but obviously won't be able to update until the problem gets fixed. I wrote this at the Uni library in very small size(lol) I kept imagining people reading this going "0.0" lol But I wanted it finished, so here we go. Hopefully I'll be back soon!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing...wish I had a working internet though...  
**

_Epilogue:_

She had soon fallen asleep, exhausted from the emotional events of the day. And breathing in the comforting scent of his body and listening to the steady beat of his heart, had soon sent her to sleep. He watched her sleeping form for a long time, gently smoothing her blonde hair… he knew he would have a lot of questions to answer once they got to New York, but for now he was content with C.C. by his side.

* * *

It was only 10 p.m. New York time, when they arrived at her penthouse, but he couldn't blame her for being tired. He himself felt as if he had run an emotional marathon. He tipped the cab driver so that he would carry their luggage upstairs, while he gently wrapped one arm around C.C.'s back and hooked the other one under her knees, to carry her outside. Her head bobbed slightly and finally fell against his chest. He smiled at her, her light weight in his arms, and the honest display of trust, for she had not once opened her eyes to check what he was doing. Once they were inside her apartment, he placed her down gently on the bed and put the blanket over her. Then he went back to lock the door, while tossing his tie and jacket aside. Finally he kicked off his shoes and took of his pants, before climbing into bed with her. He wrapped his arms around her from behind and fell asleep with a smile on his face, knowing that he had finally arrived home.

* * *

When C.C. awoke the next morning she noticed that she was still wearing the red dress from the day before. Then she immediately turned around to find Niles. A smile stole across her face when she saw him sleeping peacefully next to her. She gently ran her hand through his dirty blonde hair, before whispering:

"Good morning, lover."

She could see a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth before he opened his eyes.

"It's certainly worth waking up to such a beautiful sight." he replied, as his clear blue eyes focused on her face.

She shyly leaned down to kiss him, cherishing every new sensation that was coursing through her body.

"Shall I whip us something up?" he asked, jumping out of bed ,heading for the kitchen.

She gasped at the sight of him, in only his boxers and his shirt, having discarded his socks during the night. And silently a plan began to formulate in her head.

"That would be nice." she agreed nodding "But could you help me out of this dress first?"

And she gracefully swung her legs over the side of the bed, batting her eyelashes.

"Of course, my love." he replied, attempting to sound innocent.

She smiled and tenderly stroked his cheek, before presenting her back to him so that he could undo the clasp that was holding the dress at the back of her neck. His fingers gingerly went to work and he could feel her shiver underneath his touch. Once the clasp was undone she let the dress slide down her body until it formed a pile at her ankles. She quickly stepped out of it, standing in front of him now in only her lacy bra and panties.

"I thought you wanted breakfast." Niles mumbled, gawking at her.

"Well, I did. But then I decided to settle for a snack." she purred seductively and winked at him.

"Are you certain?" he asked, tenderly moving his hand down her shoulder and the length of her arm, never taking his eyes off her.

"Make love to me, Butler Boy." she whispered "Before I start to think you don't want me anymore."

She had only barely finished her sentence, when his lips hungrily consumed hers. She moaned against his mouth and only slightly registered that his hands were moving across her back to open her bra. She impatiently began to tug at his shirt and he soon helped her unbutton it and it was discarded to the floor where it joined her dress and her bra. She pulled him against her, enjoying the feeling of his strong chest again her breasts, and together they moved back to the bed. He was hovering only inches above her, with the proof of his passion rather obvious. She grinned and licked her lips before playfully biting him in the shoulder.

"Oh, you little minx." he growled and began to nip at the skin of her neck, before moving further down.

She let out an almost pained groan that was mixed with pleasure, as he took her nipple in his mouth and began to suck on it. She only managed to stop him, when he felt her tugging at his boxers and he got rid of them as quickly as he could. He was just about to lower his lips to her body again, when he felt her hands caressing the length of his arousal.

"Good God, woman." he hissed and allowed her to roll on top of him.

"I love you." she whispered, placing feather light kisses all over his chest, while stroking his arousal with her right hand.

"I can't wait much longer." he groaned, and before he had another chance to think about it, she had lowered herself onto him.

He loved the feeling of being inside her, as well as knowing that she was on top, controlling the rhythm in which they moved.

"I love you, C.C." he whispered, as their rhythm was getting quicker and they tumbled over the edge.

She rolled back down, coming to lie next to him with a content sigh. He propped himself up on one arm and smiled at her, while his fingers traced lines across her bare tummy.

"What are you thinking?" he whispered.

"That I love you, Niles Brightmore. And how lucky I am that we will never be separated again."


End file.
